Dispenser for soap powder and the like



Dec. 20, 1960 E. F. RUSHO DISPENSER FOR SOAP POWDER AND THE LIKE 5Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 13, 1959 Dec. 20, 1960 E. F. RUSHO 2,965,142

DISPENSER FOR SOAP POWDER AND THE LIKE Filed Feb. 13, 1959 3Sheets-Sheet 2 Dec. 20, 1960 E F. RUSHO 2,965,142

DISPENSER FOR SOAP POWDER AND THE LIKE Filed Feb. 13, 1959 s Sheets-Sheet s 61 11 L7 1 57 %3-'4L m ,73 47 t FIG? 15/ VIII/l/l/I/l/IAUnited States Patent DISPENSER FOR SOAP POWDER AND THE LIKE Everson F.Rusho, 20 Boulevard Parkway, Rochester 12, N.Y.

Filed Feb. 13, 1959, Ser. No. 793,106

2 Claims. (Cl. 141-267) The present invention relates to a dispenser forsoap powder or flakes or the like and, more particularly, to such adispenser which is arranged to measure out a desired quantity of soappowder without exposing the soap powder to the air, so that it minimizesthe wastage and is especially attractive to those who are allergic tosoap powder or the like.

An object of the invention is to provide a generally improved and moresatisfactory dispenser for soap powder or the like.

Another object is to provide a new and improved soap powder dispenserhaving provision for automatically cutting an opening in the soap powderbox as the box is lowered into place on the dispenser and for conveyingthe soap powder to a container in a system substantially closed to thesurrounding air, so as to make the dispenser especially useful topersons allergic to soap powder.

Yet another object is to provide a new and improved soap powderdispenser for conveniently measuring out a desired quantity of soappowder, whereby the wastage is minimized.

Still another object is the provision of a new and improved dispenserfor soap powder or the like for cutting a tab in the box as the box islowered into place on the dispenser and for allowing controlled passageof the soap powder to a transparent container so that a measuredquantity of soap powder may be admitted to the container within a systemsubstantially closed to the surrounding air.

These and other desirable objects may be attained in the mannerdisclosed as an illustrative embodiment of the invention in thefollowing description and in the accompanying drawings forming a parthereof, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a soap powder dispenser accordingto the present invention, showing a soap powder box in operativeposition on the dispenser, the box being broken away, and also showingthe soap receiving container in full lines in its operative or containerfilling position and in dotted lines in its container removing or restposition;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the device of Fig. 1 taken approximatelyon the line 2-2 thereof, showing the soap container in its containerfilling position;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 2 showing the container inits rest or container removing position;

Fig. 4 is a rear elevational view of the device of Fig. 1, the soappowder box having been removed;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary top view of the device of Fig. 4 as seen fromthe angle of line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view of the device of Fig. 3 takenapproximately on the line 66 thereof;

Fig. 7 is a side elevational view of the device of Figs. 1 and 4, thesoap box again having been removed, showing the device attached to awall;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a portion of the device of Fig. 7showing the device attached to the side of a laundry tub or tray; and

Fig. 9 is a side elevational view of the device of Fig. 8, with thelaundry tub in vertical section.

2,965,142 Patented Dec. 20, 1960 The same reference numerals throughoutthe several views indicate the same parts.

The dispenser according to the present invention is designed to dispensesoap powder or flakes, this being understood to include detergents ineither of these forms or soap or its equivalent in any similar form. Thedispenser herein disclosed, as will be apparent from the followingspecification, is designed to minimize the wastage of the soap powder orthe like by being arranged to receive a soap powder box in such a mannerthat it drains substantially completely into a container which allowsthe user to measure accurately a desired quantity. The device is furtherdesigned to convey the contents of a soap powder box to the container ina substantially closed system, so that it is especially useful to thosewho are allergic to soap powder.

In Figs. 1, 4, and 7 is disclosed a base plate 11 disposed in asubstantially horizontal position and being preferably elongated in onedirection. Preferably integral with one end of the base plate 11 is adownwardly extending mounting flange 13, provided with a plurality ofmounting holes 15. To the top surface generally at the other end of thebase plate 11 is fastened a mounting block 17 for supporting a boxreceiving plate 19.

The box receiving plate 19 is desirably supported at an acute angle withrespect to the length and the width of the base plate 11 so that theouter corner of the plate 19 is lower than the other portions of theplate. To this end, the upper surface of the block 17 is appropriatelyangled with respect to the substantially flat horizontal upper surfaceof the base plate 11 as shown in the front and side elevational views ofFigs. 1 and 7, respectively. Desirably the side angle is made less thanthe front angle as shown in the preferred embodiment, however anycombination of acute angles may be chosen such that the plate has onelowermost corner so that a box 18 to be supported thereby drainssubstantially completely while yet not being tipped at such an angle asto locate its center of gravity in a position of instability.

To guide the placement of the soap powder box 18 onto the dispenser andto support it while in operative position thereon, a pair of stopflanges 21 and 23 are supported at their lower ends on the lowermostcorner of the box receiving plate 19 generally at right angles andabutting one another.

To provide a passageway for soap powder through the base plate 11 andmounting block 17, a pair of alined apertures 25 and 27 are respectivelyprovided in these parts, these apertures being located inwardly of thelowermost corner of the plate 19 as defined by the flanges 21 and 23. Toprovide an aperture in the box receiving plate 19 in alinement with theapertures 25 and 27 and for another purpose to be presently described, arectangular cut-out 29 is provided in the lowermost corner of the boxreceiving plate 19, the edges of the cut-out being a short distance fromthe aperture 27.

The dispenser according to the present invention is provided with tabpunching mechanism for automatically providing an opening in the end ofthe soap powder box as it is moved into place resting on the boxreceiving plate 19, guided in its motion by the flanges 21 and 23. Atoothed V-shaped cutting edge 31 is provided extending generallyupwardly from and supported by the box receiving plate 19 and overlyingin part the aperture 27, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5. Each half of thecutting edge 31 is conveniently carried by a triangular plate supportedat its lower end on one of the edges of the cut-out 29. Thus, a pair oftriangular plates 33 and 35 are provided, the upper inclined edges ofwhich are serrated or toothed and the lower ends of which are secured tothe edges of the cut-out 29 by suitable fastening means such as thescrew fasteners 37. Of course, the plates 33 and 35 may be formed from asingle piece of metal, as shown, or may be two separate plates havingtheir side edges in abutment. Each triangular plate has an opening 39for allowing passage of soap powder through the aperture 27. Theseopenings 39 are conveniently triangular in shape with lower fiat edgessubstantially flush with the top surface of the box receiving plate 19,to thereby allows-ubstantially complete drainage of the soap powder box.

It can be seen that when a soap powder box is lowered down on thecutting edge 31 on the box receiving plate 19, a V-shaped cut is made inthe end of the box. To push inwardly the tab so formed, a stud 41 isfastened in the mounting block 17 extending generally upwardly over theaperture 27 in an inclined position pointing desirably toward the apexof the cutting edge 31. This stud 41 pushes the tab made by the cuttingedge 31 inwardly with respect to the rest of the box, thereby to providean opening in the end of the soap powder box Soap powder is then free todrain downwardly into the aperture 27 around the triangular plates 33and 35 and through the openings 39 therein.

To provide a controllable closure for the aperture 25 through which thesoap powder drains and to support a container for the soap powder, avalve plate 43 is pivoted to the base plate 11 toward the end from whichextends the mounting flange 13. The valve plate 43, see Figs. 2 and 3,is generally U-shaped. The lower end of the inside of the U is circularfor receiving the upper end of a transparent cylindrical container 45. Aretainer 47 is fastened to the under surface of the valve plate 43underlying the circular end of the inside of the U and extendinginwardly therefrom to provide a shoulder 49, as shown in Fig. 6. Theupper end of the container 45 has an outwardly extending flange 51 whichrests on the shoulder 49 and is supported thereby.

The valve plate 43 is pivotally mounted in such a manner as to bemovable between an operative or container filling position as shown inFig. 2 in which the container is alined with the apertures 25 and 27,and a rest or container removing position as shown in Fig. 3 in whichthe container 45 is free of the base plate 11 and may be placed on andremoved from the shoulder 49. The base plate 11 is desirably cut away asshown at 53 in order to make a compact construction. The inner leg 55 ofthe valve plate 43 has sufficient width such that in the rest positionas shown in Fig. 3, it extends beneath the aperture 25 in the base plate11 to provide a closure therefor.

Any suitable pivot for the valve plate 43 may be used, such as the screwand nut pivot 57 shown in Fig. 7. Although not essential to the broaderaspects of the invention, a spring action mechanism is desirablyprovided to assist the movement of the valve plate 43 between its twopositions and to effect a better closure of the aperture 25. Thismechanism also provides a stop for the two positions of the valve plate43. An arcuate slot 59 is provided in the base plate 11 between thepivot 57 and the aperture 25, the curvature of the slot 59 beingpreferably concentric with the pivot 57. A stud 61 is fastened to thevalve plate 43 and extends upwardly through the slot 59. Another stud 63is secured to the top surface of the base plate 11 near the mountingflange 13. The ends of the slot 59, of course, determine the rest andoperative positions of the valve plate 43. Preferably the end of theslot 59 determining the rest or container removing position thereof andthe stud 63 are located in alinement with the pivot 57 for a purpose tobe clarified. A spring 65 connects the upper ends of the studs 61 and63.

As seen in Figs. 4 and 7, the point at which the spring 65 is attachedto the stud 61 is located at an elevation substantially above the planeof the valve plate 43. Hence the pull of the spring tends to tilt thevalve plate in a clockwise direction when viewed as in Fig. 7, thusholding the top surface of the valve plate snugly but slidably againstthe bottom surface of the base plate 11,

d to make a tight closure for the dispensing opening 25. This snugholding of the valve plate against the base plate is enhanced by thefact that the pull of the spring is at an upward inclination because thespring is connected to the post 63 at an elevation higher than that atwhich it is connected to the post 61, as seen in Fig. 7.

It will also be noted, particularly from Figs. 2 and 3, that when thevalve plate is in the open or filling position (Fig. 2) the spring 65lieson one side of the axis of the pivot 57, and tends to hold the valveplate in its open position. When the valve plate is in the closedposition (Fig. 3) the spring now lies approximately at the deadcenterposition or slightly on the opposite side of deadcenter from the firstmentioned position, so that the valve plate will stay in this positionand the spring will not tend to return it to open position.

The container 45 is desirably transparent so that the soap powderadmitted to it from the soap powder box may be measured off reasonablyaccurately to minimize wastage. It may be provided with one or moremarks or graduations to indicate the extent to which it should be filledwith soap powder for one or more kinds of wash ing operations. 'Thecontainer '45 has been described as being cylindrical, however it mayhave any suitable shape. If other than a cylindrical container is used,the opening in the valve plate 43 and the shape of the retaining flange27 are altered to correspond.

The soap powder dispenser is conveniently attached to a wall 71 in themanner shown in Fig. 7. Suitable screw fasteners 73 extend through themounting flange apertures 15 to fasten the dispenser in place. Thedispenser may, of course, be mounted on other surfaces. In Fig. 8 adispenser is illustrated as being mounted on the side of a laundry tub75. Any suitable type of clamp may be used to secure the mounting flange13 to the tub wall 75. For instance, a U-shaped rod clamp 77 isappropriate. This type of clamp has inwardly extending rod ends 79 whichmay be inserted through the mounting holes 15 in the mounting flange 13,and a butterfly nut 81 may be tightened on the threaded ends of the rods79 to securely clamp the dispenser to the tub wall.

To review the operation of the soap powder dispenser, the valve plate 43is normally in its rest position with the leg 55 closing the aperture 25in the base plate 11. The container 45 is mounted in place on theshoulder 49 provided by the retainer 47 secured to the under surface ofthe valve plate 43.

A soap powder box is lowered end down upon the cutting edge 31 of thetab punching mechanism, guided by the flanges 21 and 23. As the box islowered, the cutting edge 31 cuts a V-shaped tab in the end of the soappowder box which is punched through by the stud 41 as the loweringcontinues. When the soap powder box reaches its operative position lyingon the box receiving plate 19, an opening in the end of the box has beenprovided by the combined action of the cutting edge 31 and the stud 41.Soap powder is now free to move by gravity through the apertures 25 and27 by moving around the ends of the triangular plates 33 and 35 andthrough the openings 39 therein.

The valve plate 43 is now manually swung from its rest position to itsoperative position wherein the container 45 is alined with the bottom ofthe aperture 25 of the base plate 11. Soap powder falls by gravity intothe container 45 until the desired level is reached. When suflicientlyfull, the valve plate 43 is swungback manually to its rest position, theflow of the soap powder being cut off by the movement of the valve plateleg 55 over the bottom end of the aperture 25.

The action of the spring 65 assists the movement of the valve plate 43between its two positions and assists the seal of the valve leg 55 inthe rest position of the valve plate 43. The ends of the arcuate slot 59provide stops for these two positions.

I! is Seen that the soap powder is conducted from the soap powder box tothe container 45 in a substantially closed system. The dispenser is thusparticularly attractive to those who are allergic to soap powder. Thecanting of the box receiving plate 19 so as to have a lowermost cornerassists in efiectuating a substantially complete drainage of the box.Since the desired quantity of soap powder may be accurately measured inthe container 45, a maximum usage or a minimum wastage of soap powder isassured.

It is seen from the foregoing disclosure that the above mentionedobjects of the invention are well fulfilled. It is to be understood thatthe foregoing disclosure is given by way of illustrative example only,rather than by way of limitation, and that without departing from theinvention, the details may be varied within the scope of the appendedclaims.

What is claimed is:

l. A dispenser for soap powder or the like comprising a substantiallyhorizontal base plate, a box receiving plate, means for mounting saidbox receiving plate canted above said base plate so as to provide alowermost corner overlying said base plate, means defining alinedapertures extending through said lowermost corner of said box receivingplate and said base plate and mounting means, a pointed tab punchercarried by said box receiving plate substantially in alinement with saidapertures for punching an opening in a soap powder box as the box islowered onto said tab puncher to a rest position on said box receivingplate, a pair of abutting upright stop flanges secured to said boxreceiving plate at said lowermost corner substantially at right anglesto one another for guiding the box onto said tab puncher, a valve platehaving container receiving means, a single transparent tubular containerremovably received on said container receiving means, means for pivotingsaid valve plate to the under side of said base plate for horizontalswinging movement between a container filling position with saidcontainer alined with said apertures and a rest position with said valveplate covering said apertures and said container moved laterally to theside beyond the edge of said base plate, whereby said container may beeasily removed from and replaced on said valve plate, and a singlespring means for biasing said valve plate between said positions inresponse to manual actuation of said valve plate and for urging saidvalve plate into closer sliding contact with said base plate to therebyeffect a better closure for said apertures.

2. A construction as defined in claim 1, wherein said aperture in saidbox receiving plate comprises a substan tially rectangular cut-out insaid lowermost corner, and said tab puncher includes a V-shaped cuttingedge carried by the edges of said cut-out and further includes means forpunching inward the tab on the soap powder box cut out by said cuttingedge, said spring means for biasing said valve plate including anarcu-ate slot in said base plate between said aperture and said meansfor pivoting said base plate, a first stud secured to said valve plateand extending through said arcuate slot, a second stud secured to saidbase plate on the other side of said means pivoting said valve plate tosaid base plate, and a spring extending between said studs and spacedabove said base plate.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,869,120 Thoerning et al July 26, 1932 2,350,836 Sonneborn et al. June6, 1944 2,571,705 Goodman et al Oct. 16, 1951 2,816,427 Vela Dec. 17,1957

